Turkish authorities ordered the formal arrest pending trial on Saturday of nine executives and journalists of a leading opposition newspaper who were detained on Monday, broadcaster NTV said.

The detention of the editor-in-chief and senior staff of Cumhuriyet over the secularist newspaper's alleged support for a failed coup in July was described by a top EU politician as the crossing of a red line against freedom of expression. Their homes were also searched.

Istanbul prosecutors have said staff at the paper, one of few media outlets still critical of President Tayyip Erdogan, are suspected of committing crimes on behalf of Kurdish militants and the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Turkey accuses Gulen of orchestrating the coup attempt, though he denies any involvement.